How to Recognize the Signs of a Heart Attack

It is important to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack not only for your own health but because you can save someone else’s life. There is a window of opportunity that someone who suffers a heart attack has to minimize the damage to their system and have the best chances of having minimal damage.

As with everything else in life people tend to take what they see on television and apply it to real life.  The same can be held as being true for heart attacks. Although the chest gripping pain can come on suddenly, intensely, and quickly it is not always the case. If you see someone exhibiting this behavior, get a phone and call 911 immediately. But what if the symptoms are a bit different then this would you know what to do?

What if the pain comes and goes? Believe it or not this can happen in a heart attack. Chest pain may be focused in the center of the chest and become very intense followed by periods of feeling somewhat normal. The pain can be in other places too including the neck, one or both arms, and the jaw.  Some people also complain of shortness of breath and feeling sick to their stomach. If the person is short of breath and is cold and clammy they may also be suffering from a heart attack.

Would you know what to do if someone had a heart attack? The first thing to do is call 911, you need to get help immediately. Keep the person calm and find out if they take any medications such as nitroglycerine. You can provide an aspirin if you have one available. Asprin reaches the blood stream the fastest when it is chewed.

You may need to preform CPR if the person stops breathing. It is always good to know basic first aid and CPR just for this reason. You could save the life of a stranger or a loved one by being able to stay calm and think quickly. Knowing the symptoms of heart issues is well worth knowing!